Device for holding and manipulating tickets



(No Model.)

A. A. LOW. DEVICE FOR HOLDING AND MANIPULATING TICKETS, 8:0.

No. 489,785. Patented Nov. 4,18%.

" To' all whom it may concern: 7

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICin ABBOT AUGUSTUS LOW, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING AND MANIPULATING TICKETS, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,785, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed December 4, 1889. Serial No. 332.550. (l lo model.)

Be it known that I, ABBOT AUGUSTUS Low, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Holding and Manipulating Tickets and Similar Articles, of which the following is a description sufficient to enable others to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to afford a simple and eifective means for holding tickets, cards, &c., to be carried about the person-snoh, for instance, as ferry, street-car, and railroad tickets-in such manner that they may be always available and convenient for removal or detachment and use.

The device is likewise adapted for use in connection with bundles or packages of conpons or similar articles as a means for holding such packages or for separating or facilitating the insertion or removal of individual coupons or similar articles composing a package into or from prescribed positions with relation to the other articles constituting the. package.

When used as a ticket-holder, my device is designed to hold one or more sets of such articles in such manner as to preserve and protect them while presenting them in positions in which they may be readily and quickly grasped by the fingers and withdrawn one at a time without disturbing those remaining.

Articles of the kind designated when carried loosely in the pockets of the user are not only liable to become separated and lost, but soon become bent and damaged, besides being inconvenient to find and handle, creating considerable annoyance and loss of time unless an exceptional degree of care is bestowed upon them, and for these and similar reasons many persons refrain from availing themselves of the economy, convenience, and advantage that would otherwise be attendant upon their purchase of tickets, &c., in packages.

My invention consists, primarily, in a plate of suitable material adapted to receive and support one or more sets of tickets, cards, or similar articles, the latter being held upon the plate by elastic or spring pressure attained by utilizing the ordinary rubber bands which usually accompany packages of such articles. Such holding devices may be adapted for use for filing papers, &c., as well as for ticket-holders, substantially the same features of construction being retained in either case and the difference being mainly in the relative sizes requisite for special uses.

As illustrated herein, however, my invention is adapted for use as a holder for comparatively small articles-such as packages of bridge, ferry, and car tickets, or other similar articles required frequently for daily use-and I therefore do not limit myself to the identical form shown, but reserve the right to modifications which would obviously be essential in adapting the device to duplicate uses.

The form of holdingplate shown and described herein is substantially the same as that shown in my concurrent application, Serial No. 330,225, which is, however, subordinate to the present application, being limited to specialties of construction therein claimed specifically, whereas I herein seek to cover, broadly, the principle involved in the construction of such devices, prior applications heretofore allowed having been abandoned in favor of the present one.

A leading feature of my invention consists in forming the holder-plate with one or more finger-openings,which permit of the insertion of the finger through the plate to facilitate the manipulation of the tickets or the handling of the holder, said openings also affording a means of hanging up the device, if desired.

I am aware that in my application, Serial No. 330,225, hereinbefore referred to, a fingeropening is represented; but in that case an elongated longitudinal opening is shown, and the claim is limited to such special construction, whereas in the present case I seek to cover a holder-plate formed with a fingeropening without regard to the particular contour thereof, although I show and claim a preferable annular form.

Another feature of the construction herein shown and claimed consists in forming the holder-plate at one end of less width than the tickets or cards in connection with which it is designed to be used, while the portion of the plate adjoining its other extremity is of greater width than the width of the tickets or cards to be so used, the edges of the holder-plate tapering or converging gently from one extremity to the other. The object of this is to provide for the expansion of the elastic retaining-bands by the holder when desired, the wider portion of the holder-plate being pushed between the said retainingbands like a wedge until the tickets or cards are relieved from side or lateral pressure, their extraction being thus rendered, easier.

An incidental feature of my invention consists in the combination and use of two wedgeplates with each other in two ways, first, with their ends reversed or opposed to each other, so as to constitute, practically, a single retaining-plate with wide ends and acomparatively narrow waist or center, by which means the retaining-bands and tickets are prevented from traveling toward the narrow thin wedge ends of the holders, and, second, with their narrow wedge ends together, a ticket or other like article being interposed between them when it is desired to either insert or remove such article into or from the body of the package.

Finally, my invention consists in forming the wedge-plate with a notch or depression in one of its edges, preferably the upper or thicker end, to hold the retaining band or bands in place, and also in this connection in the use of a longitudinal elastic retainingband which eifectually prevents the slipping longitudinally of the tickets, &c., down and off the inclined sides of the wedge.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an edge elevation of the holder-plate. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section upon plane of line a: m, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a side elevation of two wedgeplates placed together in reverse positions; Fig. 5, an edge view of Fig. 4; Fig. 6, an edge view of two wedge-plates, illustrating their use in conjunction; Fig. 7, an edge elevation of the holder-plate similar to Fig. 1, but showing three series of tickets attached thereto; Fig. 8, a side elevation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 7 Fig. 9, a transverse section upon plane of line y y, Fig. 5; Fig. 10, an elevation similar to Fig. 5, excepting that the wide portion of the holder-plate is shown as inserted between the retaining elastic bands; Fig. 11, a transverse section upon 'plane of line 2 .2, Fig. 10; Fig. 12, a side elevation of the wedge-plate formed with a single fingeropening.

The holder-plate A is formed of any suitable material, and is conveniently shaped by stamping from the prepared sheets of the ma terial selected, vulcanized fiber being a desirable substance for this purpose, although I I do not confine myself to the use of either metallic or fibrous material.

The holder-plate may be formed with fiat parallel sides, as shown in my application, Serial No. 330,225, or with inclined sides a a, which converge from one extremity to the scenes other, forming a wedge-shaped plate, as shown in the accompanying drawings. The Wedge shape is desirable, in that it may be more readily introduced between the tickets, cards, or other papers and facilitates their manipulation. It will be noticed'that the edges a a also converge toward the bottom or comparatively thin'edge of a of the wedge A, said edge 04. being of less width than the width of the tickets, cards, or papers to be used in connection with the holder. By this means provision is had for quickly and conveniently passing the edge a of the wedge A not only between the said articles, but also between the retaining-bands B B. The latter may be especially provided for use in connection with the holder-plate A, or they may consist of the usual retaining-bands surrounding ordinary packages of tickets, &c.

At or near the opposite extremity of the plate it is formed with an annular perforation or finger-opening F, which permits of the insertion of the finger through theplate for the purpose of holding the latter, or of as sisting in the manipulation of the cards thereon. The annular form is preferable, in that it does not materially weaken the holding-plate, while the finger of the user fits snugly within it, and in inserting or withdrawing the holder more or less into or from the bunch of tickets or other similar articles by the movement of said finger there is no play or loss of motion within the opening F.

It will be noticed that the width of the holder-plate A adjoining the finger-opening F is greater than the width of the tickets or other similar articles T. When the tickets occupy the lower end of the wedge A adjoining the edge a their retaining-bands do not come in contact with the edges (1 a of the holder A, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 4; but when the wedge A is inserted between them to a sufficient depth its edges a a come in contact with the inner sides of the retaining-bands B B and expand them, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, thus relieving the tickets from lateral pressure and faciliating their insertion or removal either individually or collectively.

The use and manipulation of the Wedge A is substantially the same as set forth in my concurrent application, Serial No. 330,225, eX- cepting in so far as it is modified by the substitution of the annular finger-opening.

As shown in Fig. 2, the wedge-plate may be formed with two finger-openings F F, if preferred, the latter opening F affording access to the rear of tickets of a small size, or to the rear of the larger tickets when occupying the extreme lower portion of the wedge, in substantially the same manner that the upper finger-opening F is utilized.

In order to afford means for positively holding the retaining-bands against accidental slip or displacement, a notch or depression d may be formed at any desirable point, into which the retaining-band fits, as shown in Fig. 8. In said figure its use is illustrated in connection with alongitudinal retaining-band L; but it is obvious that it may be arranged in the sides of the Wedge to hold the transverse retaining-bands B B, if desired, and it may be duplicated or otherwise modified in form and arrangement to suit special requirements or taste. The longitudinal or supplementary band L is not essential to the practical use of the device, although it affords a positive guard against the displacement of the tickets longitudinally, while not interfering with their manipulation and removal, since, as will be seen by reference to Figs. 7 and 8, considerable space Z Z is left between the inner sides of the band and the sides of the plate, thus affording unobstructed access to theupper end of the tickets.

By reversing two plates A A with relation to each other and placing them back to back,

as shown in Fig. 4, the effect of a single plate having central depressions is attained, the narrow waist or central portion acting as the equivalent of the depression d to prevent 1115323 slipping of the transverse retaining-bands There are several other advantages attained in practice in using two of the wedgeplates instead of a single one. The two plates may be used as exterior shields or covers for the tickets when not in use, binding the latter together and protecting them against derangement and wear. They may also be used for effecting the insertion or removal of a ticket into or from the package. or fol-cutting off or dividing certain tickets from the rest.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device for holding and manipulating tickets, cards, and similar articles, substantially as herein set forth, consisting of a plate A, formed with a finger-opening, in combination with an elastic retaining-band, for the purpose and substantially in the manner described.

2. A device for holding and manipulating tickets, cards, and similar articles, substantially as herein set forth, consisting of a plate A, formed with the annular finger-opening F, in combination with an elastic retaining-band, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

3. A device for holding and manipulating tickets, cards, and similar articles, substantially as herein set forth, consisting of an elongated plate A, one end a of which is of less width than the width of the articles to be used upon the said holder-plate, while another portion of said plate is made of greater width than the width of the articles to be accommodated, in combination with an elastic retainingband, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

4-. A device for holding and manipulating tickets, cards, and similar articles, substantially as herein set forth, consisting of the elongated plate A, formed with the comparatively narrow edge a and comparatively wide portion above said narrow edge, and with the finger-opening F, in combination with an elastic retaining-band, for the purpose and substantially in the manner described.

5. A device for holding and manipulating tickets, cards, and similar articles, as herein set forth, consisting of a plate A, formed with two annular finger-openings F and F, in combination with an elastic retaining-band, for the purpose and substantially in the manner described.

6. A device for holding and manipulating tickets, cards, and similar articles, as herein set forth, consisting of a plate A, formed with a recess or depression d,in combination with an elastic retaining-band,for the purpose and substantially in the manner described.

7. A device for holding and manipulating tickets, cards, and similar articles, substantially as herein set forth, consisting of two wedge-shaped plates A A, arranged and combined with suit-able elastic retaining-bands, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

ABBOT AUGUSTUS LOW. Witnesses:

GEo. W. MIATT, v D. W. GARDNER. 

